Circle-comb.



PATENTED AUG. 18, 1908.

A. LNG.

CIRCLE 00MB.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

d@ ad@ UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

ALBERT LONG, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN TEXTILE MA- CHINERY COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CIRCLE-00MB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Application filed. August 19, 1907- Serial No. 389,097.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT LONG, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Circle-Combs, of Which the following is a specification.

My inventionrelates to circular wool combing machines or circle combs of the type known as the Noble comb. Its object is to provide certain improvements in theapparatus for preparing the fringe on the small circle for the small circle drawing-off devices.

As my invention is applicable to circle combs generally of the Noble type such as that shown in Patent No. 679,975 of August 6, 1901, and in Patent No. 862,980 of August 13, 1907, I will refer to said patent and application for a fuller description of the combing machine and the drawing-off devices with which'the present invention is associated. It has been the practice in such combing machines to employ what is known as the star wheel to slant the fringe of the small circle toward the small circle drawing-off devices. The star wheel, so called, consists of a wheel provided with peripheral projections, somewhat resembling the teeth of a saw, mounted adjacent to the small circle and caused to rotate with greater peripheral speed than the speed of said circle to strike the fringe upon the small circle and slant the same in the di'- rection of the drawing-off rolls. The use of the star wheel is open to several objections; for example, it strikes the fibers of the fringe a blow, and instead of laying and smoothing them it tends to break the fibers and particularly the tapered ends, which it is of great importance to preserve for the purpose of spinning; it tends to charge the fibers with electricity, causing them to separate and iiy apart instead of lying together slanted toward the drawing-off rolls; it creates a draft of air also tending to disarrange the fibers; creates iiyings; and so imperfectly arranges the fringe for the drawing-off operation that a large amount of noil is produced. With the use of my invention there is less noil, no destruction of the fibers, no flyings, no air draft set in motion, and no electricity generated in the fibers, but on the contrary the bers aredeadened if they have been charged with electricity, lays them together flat and slanted toward the drawing-off devices, and

causes them to be held in that position until they are delivered to the nip of the drawingoif rollsof the small circle. By the use of my device also the machine isr free from the vibration caused by the star wheel which tends also to disarrange the fibers.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of alickerin and of its support and driving means, illustrating my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail partly in section of said licker-in; and Fig. 3 is a plan view showing in diagrammatic form the small circle, a part of the large circle, the drawing-off devices for said circles and my invention applied thereto.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the small circle and 2 the large circle of a circle v comb of the Noble type; 3 represents the drawing-off head of the small circle; 4 represents the drawing-off head of the large circle and 5 the conveyor between the said drawing-off heads for conveying the sliver from the drawing-off head of the largecircle to the drawing-off head of the small circle. These parts may all be as shown in the patents above referred to, and do not require a more detailed description in this place. Mounted concentrically with the small circle 1 is the hollow vertical pillar 6 which incloses the pillar shaft 7 for operating the combs in the usual way. The driving shaft is shown at 8 and the. gear connections between the driving shaft 8 and the pillar shaft '7 are shown at 9 and 10. These parts may all be of usual construction. l

Secured to the pillar 6 is the bracket 11 which may be the bracket usually employed for supporting the star wheel above referred to.

12 is a licker-in belt for slanting theA fringe 13 on the small circle in the direction of the drawing-off rolls 3. The framework for supporting the licker-in belt 12 in operative relationship .withthe small circle, and which will admit of the erformance of the functions and the accomp}l vantages herein pointed out, consists of the vertical frame 14 having the horizontal arm 15, which may be adjustably secured to the ishment of the ad- A bracket 11 by means of the bolt 16 Working in the slot 17 of the arm 15./ At the lower end of the vertical frame 14 is a horizontal arm l18 which is angularly adjustable with relation to the small circle, and mayb e held voperating the licker-in belt 12.

in its adjusted position by any nsuitable means such as a set screw 19. This angular adjustment of the licker-in belt is of greatest importance to enable the operator to slant and lay the fringe in the manner exactly adapted to accomplish the best results. Extending through and supported by the frame 14, which is referably cylindrical in form as shown,l is t e vertical shaft 20 provided at its top with a driving pulley 21 and at its bottom with a pulley 22 for supporting one end of the licker-in belt 12, and for driving the licker-inbelt. At the outer end of arm 18 is mounted an idler pulley 23 for supportingthe licker-in belt at .its other end. As` the licker-in belt 12 tends to stretch in use and sometimes has to be replaced by a. new belt which may vary slightly in length, I make the arm 18 intwo parts with slidable connection between them so that it may be lengthened and shortened. The extensible part 18a is provided with a slot 18b for the olt 18C fastened in the main arm 18.` The eXtensible part 18a has at its inner end an upturned lug 18d carrying the adjusting screw 18e which abuts against the collar of the arm 18, and by turning which the eXtensible part 18il may be removed lengthwise of the arm 18. The top of arm 18 is grooved as shown to hold the extensible part 18a against lateral displacement. Thus by adjusting 18EL lengthwise of 18 the length of the arm may bevaried, and the distance between the pulleys 22 and 23 varied to correspond with stretching, or variation in the length of the licker-in belt 12. So faras the relative adjustment between pulleys 22 and 23 is concerned, this could be accomplished by mounting the pulley 23 u on a stud adjustable in a slot at the end o main arm 18, but if such arrangement were Yused and the pulley 23 were adjusted toward the end of the slot farthest from the end of'arm 18, the arm 18 would project beyond the pulley, and would prevent the pulley 23 and the end of the licker-in belt12 from being placed as close as is desirable to the forward end of conveyer 5. I therefore prefer to have such adjustment in the arm 18 itself as above described, in which case there will be no projection of the arm beyond the pulley 23 to interfere with the conveyer 5.

Upon the upper side of the projection or suplporting arm 15, a pair of .spools or idler pul eys are mounted lside by side on horizon tal axles; these pulleys are counterparts of each other and one of them is shown4 at 24. Above these pulleys 24 on the driving shaft 8 is mounted the main driving pulley 25 for The driving belt 26 passes from the vpulley 25 underneath one of the pulleys 24, thence around the pulley 21 uponthe top of shaft 20, thence'back .underneath the other pulley 24, and thence to the driving pulley 25.

It will be seen that when the licker-in belt 12and its supporting framework are mount-v ed upon the pillar 6 as shown, the licker-in belt is held in the plane of the small circle comb and is laterally adjustable with relation to said comb, both bodily through the adjusting means connecting the bracket 11 and supporting arm 15, and angularly through the adjustable connectionbetween arml 18 and the vertical frame 14. The licker-in belt is organized and arranged in combination with the small circle, the drawing-off rolls therefor, and the conveyer 5, so that the forward end of the licker-in belt 12 is close to the forward end of the conveyer 5,

also to the small circle; that the rear end of the licker-in belt 12 is farther away from the small circle than the forward end, and is so located that the fringe 13 will not strike the end o f the licker-in belt 12, but will first come under the influence of its operative stretch. It will also be seen that the forward end of the licker-in belt is closer than any other part of the belt to the small circle, so that the slanting of the fringe toward the drawing-off devices is effected gradually, the maximum` slanting effect being accom- )lished at the forward or delivery end of the belt. It will also be seen that by having the forward end of the licker-in belt close to the forward end of the conveyer belt 5, the slanted` fibers immediately upon passing from the influence of the licker-in belt 12 pass under the influence of the end of conveyer 5 and. the sliver carried thereby, so that there is no opportunity for the fibers to become disarranged until they enter the nip of the drawing-off rolls 3. It will be understood that the operative stretch of the licker-in belt 12` moves in the same direction as the adjacent surface of the small circle 1, and at a higher l rate of speed. The belt thus not only slants `the fibers in the direction of the drawing-off rolls, but accomplishes this work gradually, lays them together fiat, ready for drawingoff on that line, controls the ends of the fibers until they are delivered to the nip of the drawing-off rolls, smooths the fibers out with a sweeping action rather than with a blow so that the bers are not at all injured, tends rather to deaden the fibers than to charge them with electricity, and causes the fibers to be delivered to the drawing-off rolls in such shape that there is less noil made and a better top produced,

It will be understood that while I believe the foregoing to be the best and most convenient embodiment of my invention, I do .not intend to limit my invention to the specific form of supporting means shown.

The licker-in belt may be supported from any fixed part of the machine and from below the combs as well as from the pillar above the combs, and may be driven in any suitable manner as by gears, or from any suitable moving part of the machine, as well as by the belt and driving shaft 8.

I claim:

l. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle, and the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, of a licker-in belt adaptedto slant the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, said licker-in belt being mounted on pulleys connected by an arm supported by a fixed part of the machine, and adjustable laterally with relation to said circle.

2. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle, and the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, of a licker-in belt adapted to slant the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, said licker-in belt being mounted on pulleys connected by an arm supported by a fixed part of the machine and adjustable laterally with relation to said circle, and means to expand and contract the space between said pulleys to adjust the same to variations in the length of the licker-in belt.

3. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle, and the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, of a licker-in belt adapted to slant the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, said licker-in belt being mounted on pulleys connected by an arm supported by a fixed part of the machine and adjustable laterally with relation to said circle, the rear end of the operative stretch of said belt being farther away from the said circle than the forward end, whereby the slanting of the fringe will be gradually effected, the maximum slanting effect being accomplished at the forward end of the belt.

4. In a circle comb, the combination With the small toothed circle, the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, and the conveying mechanism between the 4drawing-off heads of the large and small circles respectively, of a licker-in belt adjacent to the small circle for. slanting the fringe toward the small circle drawing-off head, the forward end of the licker-in belt being close to the forward end of the said conveying mechanism, whereby the slanted fringe immediately upon passing out of iniiuence of the licker-in belt will come under the influence of the forward end of the conveyer mechanism and of the top delivered thereby and be held in slanted position until the fibers enter the nip of the drawing-off rolls.

5. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle, the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, and the conveying mechanism between t'he drawing-off heads of thelarge and small circles respectively, of a licker-in belt adjacent to the small circle for slanting the fringe toward the small circle drawingoff head, the rear end of the operative stretch of said licker-in belt being farther away from the small circle than the forward end, and the forwardY end of the licker-in belt being close to the forward end of the said conveying mechanism whereby the slanted fringe immediately up on passing out of the influence of the licker-in belt will come under the influence of the forward end of the conveyer mechanism and of the top delivered thereby, andbe held in slanted position until the fibers enter the nip of the drawing-off rolls.

6. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle and drawing-off head adjacent thereto, of a licker-in belt for slanting the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, a pair of pulleys on which said licker-in belt is mounted, an arm connecting said pulleys, a vertical frame supporting said arm, pulleys and belt in operative relationship with said circle, said frame being secured to a fixed part of the machine, and

means for driving said licker-in belt.

7. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle and drawing-off head adjacent thereto,of a licker-in belt for slanting the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, a pair of pulleys on which said licker-in belt is mounted, an arm connecting said pulleys, a vertical frame supporting said arm, pulleys and belt in operative relationship with said circle, said frame being secured to a fixed part of the machine, said arm being angularly adjustable upon said frame, and means for driving said licker-in belt.

8. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle, the drawing-0H head adjacent thereto, and the vertical pillar concentric with said circle, of a licker-in belt for slanting the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, a pair of pulleys on which the licker-in belt is mounted, an arm connecting said pulleys, a bracket or frame secured to said pillar and supporting said arm, pulleys and belt in operative relationship with said small circle, and means for driving said licker-in belt.

9. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle, the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, and the vertical pillar concentric with said circle, of a licker-in belt for slanting the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, a pair of pulleys on which the licker-in belt is mounted, an arm connecting said pulleys, a bracket or frame secured to said pillar and supporting said arm, pulleys and belt in operative relationship with said small circle, means for adjusting said arm laterally with relation to said circle, and means for driving said licker-in belt.

10. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle, the drawingoff head adjacent thereto, and the vertical pillar concentric with said circle, of a bracket secured to said pillar, aframe supported by said bracket extending toward the plane of the small circle, a pair of pulleys and a lickerin belt carried thereby mounted on said sol frame in operative relationship With the small circle and adapted to slant the fringe on said small circle toward the drawing-off head, means for adjusting the licker-in belt laterally with relation to the circle, and means for driving the licker-in belt.

11. In a circle comb, the combination With the small toothed circle, and the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, of a licker-in belt in operative relationship With said circle for slanting the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, a pair of pulleys on Which said licker-in belt is mounted, an arm connecting said pulleys, a vertical shaft upon Which one of said pulleys is fixed, a -frame mounted on a fixed part of the machine supporting said shaft and arm, and means for driving said shaft to operate the belt.

12. In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle and the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, of a vertical frame mounted on a fixed part of the machine and extending toward the plane of said circle, an arm secured to said frame with provision for angular adjustment With relation to the circle, a vertical shaft supported by said frame, a pulley fixed to said shaft in the plane of the small circle comb, a second pulley mounted on the adjustable arm, a licker-in belt carried by, said Ipulleys for slanting the fringe on said sma circlev to- Ward the drawing-0H head, and means for driving the shaft to operate the licker-in v belt.

13, In a circle comb, the combination with the small toothed circle, the drawing-off head adjacent thereto, and the vertical4 pillar concentric With the small circle, of a bracket secured to said pillar, a vertical frame extending toward the plane of the circle and provided with a lateral projection adjustably secured to said bracket, a vertical shaft mounted in said frame having a pulley fixed thereto at its lower end, a lateral arm supported by said frame with provisiony for angular adjustment thereof relatively to the circle, a second pulley at the end of said arm, a licker-in belt mounted on said pulleys to slant the fring-l on said circle toward the drawing-off head,` and means to drive said vertical shaft to operate the licker-in belt.

14.. In a circle comb, the combination With the small toothed circle, the drawing-0H head adjacent thereto and the vertical pillar eoncentric with the small circle, of a bracket secured to said pillar, a vertical frame extending toward the plane of the circle and provided With a lateral projection adjustably secured to said bracket, a verticaly shaft mounted in said frame having a pulley iixed thereto at its lower end, a lateral arm supported by said frame with provision for angular adjustment thereof relatively to the circle, means for lengthening `and shortening said arm, a second pulley at the end of said arm, a licker-in belt mounted on said pulleys to slant the fringe on said circle toward the drawing-off head, and means to drive said vertical shaft to operate the licker-in belt.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this fourteenth day of August 1907.

'ALBERT LONG.

Witnesses:

ROBERT CUsHMAN, CHARLES D. WOODBERRY. 

